


A New Place, A New Love

by Total_whovian



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, The Lord of the Rings (Movies)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-02
Updated: 2016-03-02
Packaged: 2018-05-24 07:25:48
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,677
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6146056
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Total_whovian/pseuds/Total_whovian
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Post Deathly Hallows and starts with the first film. Minerva is reflecting on what has happened after the war and realizes that she is all alone with the loss of the one man she loved. But the Room of Requirement provides her with a second chance at adventure and more importantly love.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Minerva McGonagall moved through the hallways of the school thinking about the events that had transpired the last few years. She had lost a lot of friends and loved ones in the last year, and she could remember each one walking in these hallways. Fred Weasley, Alastor Moody, Remus Lupin, Nymphadora Tonks, Severus Snape, Albus Dumbledore, and so many more. Albus. The man that she had loved for as long as she could remember, but of course he had to protect her from all the dangers that he would bring to a relationship.

As she continued through the hallways she caught her reflection in one of the few remaining suits of armor. The lines of age were not as prominent as they were during the war, but she was getting older. She could count the number of gray hairs on her once completely raven head on one hand, but it was more than she used to have, and that just solidified her feelings. She was old and now almost all of her friends were gone. Hell, most of her students were now dead, and she was alone.

Passing by the Seventh Floor Corridor, Minerva was startled by the materialization of a door. As she turned towards it she realized where she was and what this must be. With apprehension in her every step she reached out a hand to grasp the ornately carved wooden handle. The door was embellished with gold accented carvings and stood at about 8 feet tall. She pulled the door towards her to reveal nothing but darkness. Walking cautiously into the darkness she took out her wand to light the way.

What she saw surprised her. She was in a pantry on some type with enough food to feed the entire school. There was another door at the other end so she inched towards it, but as she took another step forward, the door behind her shut and disappeared. Well, I guess that option is out of the question. Crossing the rest of the pantry, she could hear voices coming from the other side of the door. One of the voices sounded young and the other sounded like….Albus? No. It couldn’t be!

They were talking about something, some kind of ring that the younger one was supposed to hide. Then the other one seemed to get angry at something and there was a crash and some yelling. Another voice joined the conversation, and his name was Sam. The older one was asking Sam questions about what he heard, and Minerva caught a name. The older one’s name is Gandalf. 

Minerva leaned forward to try to hear better, but her foot caught onto a broom that had been leaning against the wall. She tried to catch it before it hit the ground, but she was unsuccessful. Before she knew what to do, the door swung open and she was grabbed around her waist. She was drug from the pantry and whipped around, bringing up her wand as she spun. She was met with a gray staff and the one she assumed was Gandalf.   
He looked so much like Albus, and it made her hesitate for a moment bringing her wand higher.

“Who are you?” Gandalf spoke as he put himself between the stranger and the two hobbits.

Minerva looked stunned for a moment but quickly recovered, “Minerva McGonagall. I am from Scotland. I mean no harm, I just sort of ended up here and I am not quite sure how.”

Gandalf studied her for a moment and then nodded, “I can sense magic in you are you a witch?”

“Yes,” Minerva felt somewhat relieved, but was still ready to attack if need be. She was ready to ask her own questions when Gandalf approached her.

“I am Gandalf the Gray, and these hobbits are Frodo and Sam,” Gandalf gestured to them with his staff and then turned to her, “Now where is it you said you were from? I am not familiar with Scotland, and I know Middle Earth pretty well.”

“Middle Earth?” Minerva was thoroughly confused. Why would the Room of Requirement send her to another world? She didn’t even know it could do that. “I think I was put into another world. I am not from here. I am from regular earth.”

Gandalf laughed at her antics and couldn’t help but look at her. She was wearing a green robe that seemed to cover a very attractive figure that was swallowed by the black clothes that she wore underneath. Her raven hair had a few gray strands that made her look distinguished and the few lines that were on her face didn’t take away from her beauty in the least. Not wanting to be caught staring, Gandalf quickly started up a conversation.

“I am sorry my dear, but I do not know how you got here either.”

Now realizing her surroundings, Minerva could see that everything was built for the hobbits, but not Gandalf and herself.

“I am guessing that this is not your house, but Frodo’s?”

“Yes,” Gandalf said a bit surprised, “but how did you know?”

A bit embarrassed, Minerva looked at the ground before meeting his eyes, “I heard more than a little of your conversation, probably as much as Sam here.”

Gandalf looked a bit troubled by this news, but the look was gone before she could decipher it any more. He took on a serious expression and looked at her with an expression that she had seen on another face too many times to count. She was about to be told information that she wasn’t going to have a choice in accepting. 

“We have a great evil in this world that is attached to that ring,” Gandalf points to the ring that Frodo holds, “And they must leave in order to keep it save.”

The next ten minutes was full of plans of where everyone was to go and how they were to get there. Then next thing Minerva knew, Frodo, Sam, and her were headed for Bree and a place called “The Prancing Pony.” That is where Gandalf would meet them, and they were to stay for a while.

As Gandalf took off, she and the hobbits took off towards large fields of corn, or at least that’s what it looked like. They walked through the field in relative science until Frodo decided to break the silence.

“So, you said you are from Scotland,” Frodo looked over his shoulder for a brief second, “What’s it like there?”

“It’s quite like this place actually. It is green almost everywhere and there are cobblestone fences with large open lands. It does rain a lot, but it is my home and I love it.” Minerva finished with a look of longing in her eyes. 

“What do you do there?” It was Sam who spoke, “Do you travel like Gandalf to different places?”

“No, I am a teacher at a school of witches and wizards,” Minerva stated.

They were continuing through the field when Frodo and Sam were tackled to the ground by two other hobbits. They heard screaming and yelling and Minerva deduced that it was the owner of the field and the food in the other hobbits hands must be his. She heard one of the yell run and followed out of instinct. She was able to reach the head of the line before the others and she came to a drop off where she stopped. She felt three bodies slam into hers and she was about to fall over the edge and was pushed further when another hit them. They tumbled down the hill and ended up sprawled out on a path. She was dazed, but she noticed that everyone was up and Frodo was looking down the path.

Minerva noticed something was off with Frodo, “Frodo, are you alright?”

He didn’t respond for a while, but when he did it was quiet and chilling, “We need to get off the path.”

Nobody seemed to hear, so he turned and said it again this time dragging the others off the path and behind a bluff. Just as they were clear of the path, Minerva could feel a chill run down her spine and hooves of a horse and a horrible screeching sound. She was brought from her thoughts by Sam pulling at Frodo’s hand. They had to get out of there, and Minerva was not going let anything happen to them. The other two hobbits seemed to know where they were going and soon they were running toward some type of lake. Before she knew, everyone was on the raft and they were getting ready to go, but everyone was yelling. Why are they- Frodo!

Turning to look behind her, she saw Frodo being pursued by a dark figure on a horse. Without thinking twice, Minerva took out her wand and cast the first spell she could think of to counteract the darkness that was about to envelope Frodo.

“Expecto Partonum!” Minerva bellowed and sent her patronus straight at the rider. That was just what Frodo needed to make the rest of the run and make it to the raft. She felt as if the rider’s featureless face was staring directly at her, but at the moment, she couldn’t care less. She had protected Frodo, and that is all that mattered.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

By the time they had reached Bree, it was raining and Minerva was losing what was little warmth that she had to the unforgiving down pour. The town was blocked by what appeared to be a large fence to keep things out, and as they got closer, she saw the door that would let them in. Having no clue what to do, she decided to let Frodo take the lead and it proved to be quite successful. Soon they were beyond the massive walls that were now seen as protection to Minerva.

As she looked around, she saw a few lights coming from the inside of what looked to be a bar, but everything else was relatively dark. She focused on the lit bar and saw the sign above the door. She was glad that they had reached their destination and that they would be able to relax. Frodo led them into the bar where Merry and Pippin instantly went for the bar. She found a table for all of them to sit at and just looked around the place. She quickly identified the shady few that each bar tended to have, and settled for looking for those who seemed completely out of place. 

As she scanned the crowd, she was able to pick up most of their conversations thanks to her animagus abilities; however, she stopped when she was met with the sight of a hooded figure that was facing directly at them. Before she could think about it anymore, Merry and Pippin cut off her line of sight with several pitchers of what she guessed was beer. She looked down in front of her and realized how tired she truly was, and she could not drink and lose her senses, especially not with a stranger staring at her.

“Excuse me,” she said as she say the bar tender go by, “do you by chance know who that man is in the corner?”

“Him?” The bar man gestured towards the hooded stranger, “He’s a Ranger, he is. They are a dangerous lot Rangers. They just ride alone in the wilderness without known’ where they headed. They call him Striker, and it seems that you have caught his attention.”

Minerva didn’t miss the appreciative look that the bar tender gave her and hoped Gandalf would show up soon. 

“If you’d like,” he smirked, “I could escort you out of here and to a room for the night? You wouldn’t have to pay me, at least not with any money…” 

Chills gripping her spine and a vile taste at the back of her throat, Minerva shook her head and looked back down at her drink.  
“Well Sweetie,” he caressed her shoulder, “when you are ready to ditch the hobbits, I’ll be ready.” 

With that, he turned away after winking at her, and Minerva had to fight back the urge to gag and burn her robes. The gall of that man scared her and infuriated her, but she had no idea what people in this world could do, and she wasn’t about to find out in the middle of a crowded bar. Looking around, she could see that a few other men were giving her appreciative looks, while Merry and Pippin were entertaining several others with songs and stories. Frodo brought her from her reflections with a gentle tap on the hand.

“Minerva,” Frodo had a look of concern on his face, “are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” she responded curtly and added a small smile in the attempt to convince him.

“He had no right to do that… Why didn’t you use your stick again to get rid of him?”

With a heavy sign, she looked at Frodo and was reminded of a young Harry Potter. Curiosity in full bloom and trouble in the wings ready to swoop in, she had found another Harry, but one that was faced with a different adventure. 

“I do not know much about your world, Frodo. This means that I cannot use my wand unless I absolutely have to. I do not know if the people around me are stronger than me or if they have some type of magic of their own. I prefer to know what I am getting into before instigating an altercation.”

Just as this was said, she saw Frodo’s eyes turn a glassy white and he began to breathe heavily. He started to shiver it seemed before he started to sway. He came out of this state and headed straight for Pippin. Minerva was confused about his sudden change, but when she heard Pippin give away Frodo’s real name to some of the people he was entertaining, she knew they were in some trouble. 

Silence was echoing throughout the entire bar as Frodo was on the ground and the ring was flying through the air. She looked down at Frodo just as the ring landed perfectly on his finger, only to see him vanish completely. There was a collective gasp from everyone, and she knew this was not good at all. Maybe I will be using my stick again, she though bitterly. 

Everyone is in a state of hysteria as they discuss the events that just transpired, and she can see Sam’s face turn a shade of green and Pippin instantly regain his senses. She can tell that some people are mad, but she doesn’t care, she needed to get to Sam, Merry, and Pippin and hopefully keep them out of harm’s way. Taking a step forward, she was jerked back by an arm that wrapped itself around her waist. Her back hits the chest of a man that she can feel is quite large, and in this position, there is no way she is going to get her wand. Although considering the way they reacted to Frodo’s vanishing act, she doesn’t think magic would be a wise choice. 

“Well Sweetie, it looks like you were hiding something from us,” the bar tenders voice makes her freeze. Out of everyone here, he had to be the one to grab me. “Why don’t we talk about your punishment, huh? I think I have some friends that have a lil’ something to contribute too.”

Now Minerva was struggling to get out of his grasp, but he held her strong. She tried to use her arms to pry him off of her, only to result in his other hand grabbing one of her wrists. She was spun around and pinned up against a wooden banister as the man grabbed her other wrist. She had one chance to escape, and she didn’t think she would get another one. Bringing her knee forward as hard and fast as she could, she made contact and watched him buckle. 

Running away from the banister and her attacker Minerva looks up to Sam, Merry and Pippin just in time to see the hooded figure place his sword back into its holster and drag a struggling Frodo out of the bar. Without a second thought, Minerva beckons the hobbits to follow her as she chased after the hooded figure. The door of the bar closed behind her as she saw them disappear into an inn across the street. Staying on their trail, Minerva followed them through the lobby and up the stairs to come to a closing door. Just as she reached it, a gust of wind hit her face as the door slammed shut. She turned to see the hobbits just catching up, and pulled out her wand.

“Ahlohamora,” Minerva whispered and braced herself for a possible stand-off. 

One look at the hobbits, and she was opening the door with her wand drawn ready to attack. What she wasn’t expecting was to have a sword pressed to her neck and her arm twisted behind her.

“Let her go, or you’ll get it!” Sam bellowed from the doorway with his fists in the air.

The man behind her laughed lightly before he addressed the hobbit.

“Your heart is strong and pure, but that will not keep you alive when faced with a blade. I am not going to hurt any of you,” Strider said while gently releasing Minerva and sheathing his sword. “I am sorry, Frodo and company, but the Ringwraiths are coming, and we could not stay at the bar.”

Minerva whirled around to face this Strider character and pulled her wand to level out just above his chest. This is when she noticed that the hood that he had been previously wearing was gone and a rather calm face was present.

“If you were there to help us, why did you not remove that vile bar man from my person? You obviously have the power to!” Before he could answer, Minerva continued with her questions, “And why would you grab me with a blade to my neck?”

Strider brought his hands up in a gesture of surrender as he watched the woman in front of him point a stick at him. He knew that he had to provide some answers to her questions if he wished to keep her quiet and keep them safe from their enemy.

“I was preoccupied with finding Frodo, and by the time I had found him, the bar tender already had you pinned against the pillar. I pulled out my sword, but you had already proven yourself as quite the capable opponent. As for your second question, I had a hunch that you would burst in here ready to kill, so I tried to allow you some time to calm down.”

Minerva still held her wand firm, but the way he spoken and his unwavering gaze made her believe him. 

“What were you doing at the bar?”

“Gandalf had sent word that all of you would be meeting here, and that he might require help protecting all of you.”

Minerva still had several questions that she wanted answers, but Frodo stopped her by stepping toward Striker and thanking him for saving them.

“Any friend of Gandalf’s is a friend of ours. It has been a very tiring day,” Frodo paused as he looked at the rest of his group, “can we save all of the other questions for morning? I would really like to get some sleep.”

A few hours later, and all four hobbits were fast asleep on Striker’s bed. The window sill was occupied by Minerva and Striker as they watched the Ringwraiths enter Bree and head straight for the bar. They appeared again in a window of one of the bedrooms above the bar as they stabbed and massacred the beds that lay before them. Minerva inhaled quickly as she realized that could have been them in those beds, and she wasn’t sure she could fend off all of them by herself. Her patronus had worked as a distraction, but she had no idea how to get rid of them. 

“You should get some sleep,” came a voice to her left.

She turned to face Striker, “I am fine…. What are those things?”

Strider leaned back against the window frame and began his tale of the once Nine Kings.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

As the sun rose in the sky and in through the windows, Minerva woke to the first rays on sunlight touching her cheek. She slowly opened her eyes and began to stretch, and the pain in her back and neck only served to remind her that she had fallen asleep on the window sill. Scanning the room, she saw Merry and Pippin had somehow managed to end up hugging each other, Sam was how hanging precariously off one side of the bed, and Frodo seem to be sleeping peacefully in between them. A small smile graced her face as she thought back to her Gryffindors after a night of celebration or even a night in the common room trying to cram for one of Severus’ exams. 

“They are quite amusing when the snoring isn’t too obnoxious, aren’t they?” Strider spoke from a forgotten corner of the room.

Quickly remembering their recent acquaintance, Minerva took a breath to calm her pounding heart. Turning towards Strider she nodded in agreement, but she couldn’t but stare at him. In the light of the morning, it was hard to think this man could harm them with his calm and friendly appearance. Maybe it was just the hood and the dark night. Or maybe it was the sword and the fact that I saw him only as a threat like the other men in that vile pub. Realizing that she was staring off into space, Minerva turned back to the four sleeping hobbits deciding to wake them soon.

“If we are to meet Gandalf soon, we should probably wake them and get ready,” Minerva said as she walked towards the beds. Just as she was about to wake Sam, a hand on her shoulder stopped her.

“Gandalf will not be meeting us here. He would have been here by now if he were. I will be taking you through the forest to a new meeting place,” Strider finished as he turned to Merry and Pippin to wake them.

Gandalf is not going to meet us here? What happened to him? Minerva woke both Sam and Frodo and then excused herself to the restroom in order to freshen up. As she walked down the hallway to the restroom, she was plagued by thoughts of another meeting that had not happened. She was supposed to have meet Albus Dumbledore in his office after he returned from his outing. Had she known it was with Harry and that he was hunting dark magic on his own, she would have done something. 

I would have stopped him, or at least gone with him. He never told me anything about this plan or his discoveries, and if he had, maybe he would have called me instead of Severus and then he would still be alive. And Severus…Oh, Severus! I should have protected him more from James and Sirius, and maybe he would have never gone to the other side. Then the Potters would be alive, and maybe others as well. So many "maybes" and mistakes. 

By the time Minerva had finished thinking about the past, she was already on her way back to the bedroom. She was about to reach for the door handle when the door opened and four fairly energetic hobbits emerged ready to go. Strider emerged next with her cloak in hand and his bags in the other. Nodding in appreciation, Minerva accepted the cloak and turned to follow the hobbits down to the lobby of the inn. 

A few hours later, Strider was leading the group towards the forest with a horse at his side carrying what little supplies they had.

“Where exactly are we going, Strider?” Sam asked after whispering to Frodo his concerns.

“Rivendell…to the house of Elrond,” Strider replies as they continue into the forest.

“We are going to see the Elves?!” Sam smiled as he jumped up and down a few times.

Striders only response was a small laugh as he climbed over a large rock. Minerva was amused as well, but she only wondered what the elves here looked like. She had a feeling that they were not the same as the house elves she was used to. As she continues her thoughts of the home that she left behind, Minerva notices that the hobbits have stopped moving and seem to be unpacking.

“What are you doing, exactly? We cannot stop until night fall,” Strider says as he begins to help the hobbits pack up their knapsacks.

“But when are we going to eat? You know, Second Breakfast? Elvenses? Luncheon? Afternoon Tea? Dinner….” Merry asked as his jaw dropped in disbelief.

“I don’t think he knows about them Merry,” Pippin sighed looking at the ground. 

Minerva had to hold back a laugh at how much these hobbits reminded her of the male teenagers at Hogwarts. They were just like the young children that she got to teach every day, but they reminded her more of a certain Golden Trio. Minerva had to stop a tear from trickling down her cheek before anyone noticed, but she did not notice Strider’s concerned glance.

Meanwhile….

Gandalf woke to the black sky and no remnants of a comforting light, atop of a tower that had held him hostage only hours ago. 

He had arrived at Saruman’s tower, the Orthanc, and took a deep breath. He had to warn Saruman of what he had uncovered about Bilbo and the ring. Climbing the stairs to reach the ante-chamber where Saruman was sure to be found, Gandalf hoped that Frodo, Sam, and Minerva were alright. He could sense the power within Minerva and wondered if everyone in her world held that much power. 

By the time Gandalf had thought about his new companions and what he had to explain to Saruman, the man in question was right in front of him staring out one of the tower windows. 

“There is smoke coming from the mountain of doom, the darkness is spreading over the land, and Gandalf the Grey is here to listen to any advice I might have to offer,” Saruman spoke from his spot in front of the window. 

Later, as the two wizards walk amongst the trees of Isengard, Gandalf told Saruman of the misfortune that their world was about to fall into.

“Are you sure of all of this?” Saruman asked.

“Absolutely,” Gandalf replied with urgency.

“The ring of power has been in the Shire this whole time, and your love for the hobbits has prohibited you from realizing it was there all along.”

“We have time to counter Sauron, but only if we act now.”

They now rested in a cluttered room high up in the tower, where Gandalf and Saruman began to talk about the rising Sauron.

“The nine have already been released and have headed towards the Shire, and there is no way that your hobbit can protect that ring from its rightful owner,” Saruman turned to look at Gandalf and continued, “We cannot fight against the power of Mordor, so we must join with Sauron. There is no victory to be had in this battle.”

“Since when is madness your idea of wisdom,” Gandalf scoffed.

Just then, Gandalf flew towards the opposite wall and hits it with an audible THUD! Suspended in mid-air, Gandalf fights to get free using his staff as a weapon against an approaching Saruman. Finally breaking free, Gandalf and Saruman begin to battle for control, but the madness reflecting in Saruman’s eyes was the last thing Gandalf saw as he hits the floor.

Gandalf now looks at the sheer drop around him and looks hopelessly as the trees of Isengard are hacked down by Orcs. He could only hope that Minerva, Frodo, and Sam were safe in the hands of his friend, Aragorn.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

It was now well mid-afternoon, and Minerva was starting to lose feeling in her feet. When she had entered The Room of Requirement, she was not planning on walking long distances in her customary black boots. As she continued walking, she could see that each of the hobbits was ready to collapse, but Strider remained strong and pushed on. She was about to ask for a break when they came to rest next to some remnants of an old building. 

“You can rest here while I go check ahead,” Strider spoke as he took the swords from his sack and lay them on the ground next to Pippin, “Keep these with you while I am gone, just in case.” 

Frodo decides to lay down on a nearby rock while Mary, Pippin, and Sam gather around each other and begin to dig through their knapsacks. Minerva turns her attention back to Strider and decides that she can rest as they look around. She gives the hobbits a once over and then heads off in the direction of their guide.

“Mind if I join you?” Minerva said as she walked beside Strider.

“Not at all,” he grinned, “but I figured you would want to rest.”

“Well, I figured I could rest while you were scouting the area.”

There was a comfortable silence that rested between them until Minerva realized she never truly introduced herself.

“I’m Minerva, by the way,” she stopped walking as she extended her hand.

“Aragorn,” He replied as he shook her hand.

“So,” Minerva began after a pregnant pause, “how do you know Gandalf?”

“He is an old friend of mine that I met while I was on my own. He was kind enough to help me along on my travels and was a great travel companion. Ever since then, we have kept in touch as much as our destinies allow. How about you? I don’t remember him mentioning a new friend until he told me to help guard you and the hobbits.”

“We have actually only just met. I am not from this world, if that makes sense, and I… Well, I stumbled out of a closet while Gandalf was talking to Frodo about the ring. At first I thought he was somebody I knew, but I knew that couldn’t be possibly. When I really looked at him, I thought he was going to kill me for intruding on a conversation. I have never been more grateful for meeting a forgiving man such as Gandalf.” Minerva laughed as she finished the last part of her story. 

“He is a great man who does not trust everyone, but those he does trust, he trusts quickly,” Strider said as he surveyed the surrounding area, “He usually has a sixth sense about who he can and cannot trust. It is comforting and unnerving all in itself.”

Minerva gave a slight hum in agreement as she looked out over the path that lay ahead of them for the next day. It was late enough that they could stop, but still early enough that the light of day would keep her awake if she tried to fall asleep. Whatever this world was, it reminded her of the grounds that surrounded Hogwartz. The green grass that seemed to cover every inch of land she could see and the forests that hid the place where the mountains kissed the land. It was just like home, and that was a thought that made her think about everything that she had left behind when she had walked through that door. 

She would miss the hallways of the school that had been the bane of every first-year’s existence until they learned to travel in groups with the older children. She would long for the comforts of her classroom with all of its memories. And the people that she had had every meal with for more than the past 40 years. There were a lot of things that she was going to miss, but the empty office that was designated to the headmaster, would not be one of them. It was just too soon to have to face Albus’ portrait as well and Severus and his presence. 

She turned to look at her guide and smiled to herself about the absurdity of everything that had happened in the last two days. It would be good to see Gandalf again, but she was starting to like this Aragorn man. Turning to survey the hobbits, she could see the distinct black smoke of a fire just before she heard Frodo yell something. She caught Aragorn’s movements out of the corner of her eye and turned to speak to him.

“What is it?” Minerva asked as she saw a look of fear and concern cross his face. 

“With any type of signal like that we have to be worried about-” he was cut short by screaming and several high pitched screeches coming from their camp.

Aragorn did not take the time to finish his previous thoughts before he took off towards camp with Minerva hot on his heels. As they got closer, she could see several Ringwraiths chasing the hobbits up into the ruins of the old watchtower. Aragorn had already drawn his sword and was charging at the attackers. Minerva pulled out her wand and pointed it in the general direction of the last couple of the creatures.

“Confringo!” she yelled as a purple beam shot from her wand and hit two of the wraiths to the ground and the explosion caused another one to fly backwards.

She heard another screech and watched as one of the wraiths came straight for her. At least that takes some of the pressure off of Frodo and the others. She barely had time to brace herself for the impending duel before the wraith was less than ten feet in front of her. 

“Impedimenta!” Minerva mumbled and watched as the wraith slowed down to a manageable pace, “Reducto!” 

Minerva was surprised when her spell seemed to have no effect. They’re not solid?! What the hell are these things? She quickly backpedaled to ensure a safe distance remained between her and her opponent. She could hear the screams from the others in the background and felt helpless. She had to do something to keep these things away and help Aragorn before it was too late. I can’t make it over there in time to stop anything and I still have to deal with this one… Well, here goes nothing. 

Minerva braced herself and focused all of her energy and power on pronouncing each syllable and letter correctly, “Fiendfyre!” She focused on guiding the power from her body into her wand and across the field to ensure that only the wraiths would be hurt. She saw them recede into the nearby woods and the hobbits and Aragorn look to her for an explanation. She pulled the flames back with everything she had left in her. She felt the stubborn flames relinquish their final ounce of control to her. 

She staggered backwards and collapsed on the ground, drained from the amount of power and energy that the single spell had cost. She felt darkness pulling her into its depths, and she was too tired to fight it off. Passing out, Minerva was unaware of Frodo’s injury that had been caused by a dagger, or his need to get to the Elves. 

“Minerva!” Aragorn rushed over to her limp form along with Merry, “Minerva! You need to wake up! Wake up! Minerva… Dammit!” He tried to wake her once again, but got no response in return. 

“Is she dead?” Merry asked as he gazed down at the witch.

“No,” Aragorn breathed out, “but she is too weak to wake up. We have to get both her and Frodo out of here and to the Elves. I will take care of her. I need you to go back to camp and pack up anything you can. Then I need you to help Sam and Pippin get Frodo down from the ruins.”

Merry was gone as soon as Aragorn had finished giving his instructions, leaving him to attend to Minerva. She was pale and look fragile, but there seemed to be a power radiating from every cell and pore in her body. Gently, Aragorn placed an arm under her neck and scooped another under her knees. He lifted her into his arms and quickly headed back to camp. Gandalf trusted me to watch over both of them, and now they are both hurt. I should have paid more attention to what was going on! 

As he made it to the horses, he saw Sam carrying Frodo, who was having trouble breathing.

“Sam, do you know what Athelas plant is?” Aragorn asked as he set Minerva down on a grassy spot. 

“N-no, I don’t think so,” Sam sputtered.

“Athelas? Kingsfoil? Do you know what Kingsfoil is?”

“Aye! Will that help Mr. Frodo?”

“It won’t cure him, but it might be able to slow the spread of the poison. I will look over here, you take that side, “Aragorn said as he took one last glance at both Minerva and Frodo before he went in search of the plant.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Minerva can hear distant voices as she feels the darkness recede from around her. For a moment she thinks she can hear Dumbledore talking to Harry in a room next to hers, but something seems different with their voices. She couldn’t remember being taken to the hospital wing or seeing Madame Pomphrey, but she had a feeling she was in a hospital bed of sorts. My classes!! I have students that need me! She opened her eyes to see the bright light streaming in through the large openings throughout the room. 

Everything washed over her as she remembered Dumbledore’s death, Harry winning, her stumbling into a new world, Gandalf, Aragorn, and Frodo being attacked. She quickly tried to get out of bed as she realized that Frodo had been cornered by those creatures and she didn’t know what had happened to him when she had passed out. She was stopped by a calming hand on her right shoulder. Gasping, Minerva turned to the person that she had yet to notice until now.

“You need to rest, my dear,” Gandalf’s soothing voice broke through her panic.

She couldn’t help the grin that enveloped her face as she lay back to look at the man that had occupied her thoughts for the past couple days. He took a seat on the edge of her bed and let his hand trail down her arm to rest on her hand. She looked at their hands lying together on top of the sheets and she realized she was still smiling.

“What happened to you?” Minerva spoke quietly, noticing how dry her throat was, “We were worried that something had happened to you. I was even more worried when Aragorn told us that you had made plans for him to take us is something were to happen to you. Are you okay?”

He chuckled a little bit at the irony of the situation. Here she was lying in a bed after having passed out, and she was asking if he was okay. Gandalf noticed that some of the color was starting to return to her face now that she was awake. He turned to the bedside table where he found a pitcher of water and a glass. Filling the glass, he handed it to her as he noticed her try to swallow and the hoarse quality of her voice. 

Mumbling a quick ‘Thank You,’ Minerva took the water from his hand and blushed as her fingers brushed his. Gandalf looks over her as he remembers being in this exact position a couple of days earlier when she had arrived with Aragorn.

2 Day Earlier

Gandalf had checked on Frodo for the second time that day, and he was wondering when he would wake up. Arwen had saved him from the wraiths and delivered him safely here, and when he had arrived, Gandalf had rushed to her for information. He had learned that Frodo was stabbed with a blade from one of the wraiths and Minerva had been unconscious when Arwen had found Aragorn and the others. 

Gandalf had spent most of that day watching Frodo, but thinking about Minerva. If she had been unconscious, she must not have been seriously injured for Arwen to only take Frodo. Even though he knew that she must be alright, he couldn’t help but think about what must have happened to her. He felt protective over her, and he knew why, he just was not ready to admit anything. 

She was different from anybody that he had ever met. She relied on herself, and herself alone for whatever strength she drew upon and it seemed to make her even stronger because of that. It was because of this that he wondered if sending Aragorn was a good idea. He laughed to himself as he tried to imagine her reaction to meeting him, and he had a feeling that it would be an interesting story.

1 Day Earlier

Aragorn and the others arrived with Aragorn carrying a still unconscious Minerva in his arms. Gandalf rushed to his side and carefully took Minerva into his own arms and brought her to a room next to Frodo’s. As he laid her gently on the bed, he couldn’t help the sharp intake of breath as he really looks at her. 

Her usually pale skin looks ghostly white compared to the pieces of dark, black hair that had escaped her bun. Her breathing and heart beat were normal, but that didn’t help to ease his worry. Lifting her up a bit, he removed her heavy cloak and folded it over a nearby chair. Then, he lifted her into his arms again to place her under the sheets of the bed. With one last look at her prone form, he turns to go in search of the others and some answers.

He was distracted by a rustling of sheets in Frodo’s room, and he realized that he was coming to. He greeted a still drowsy Frodo before he was interrupted by Sam, Merry, and Pippin as they come rushing through the door. Gandalf laughs at the scene in front of him and can see Aragorn resting against the door frame and Lord Elrond next to him. Gandalf excuses himself after telling Frodo about Elrond, and heads towards the two men.

“Lord Elrond, I have told Frodo who you are if you would like to talk to him now,” Gandalf says as he receives a nod in return.

“Thank you Gandalf,” Elrond says as he steps further into the room before turning back to speak to the wizard, “She will be alright. She just needs to rest for a while longer.”

With that, Elrond continues over to Frodo and begins to explain everything to him. Gandalf stares at his old friend for a while before turning back towards Aragorn. 

“I need to know what happened,” he said as Aragorn angled himself towards the hallway in a silent gesture. 

“Of course,” Aragorn replied, “When I first saw them, they were at the pub and they seemed okay. I could tell that I was unsettling them while I was watching them, but I had a bad feeling about the bartender. He was giving Minerva a look that I didn’t like, and I didn’t trust him. Then Merry and Pippin hade to get drunk and start talking about Frodo and everything exploded. Frodo somehow managed to get the ring on his finger and my only thought was to get him out of there.

“I remember seeing the Bartender holding Minerva against him, but before I could act she had taken care of him and was chasing after Frodo and me. We had a bit of a misunderstanding when they caught up to us, but it was settled quickly. We spent the night before we headed out like you instructed. We had just reached the ruins of the watchtower and Minerva and I went to scout out the path ahead, when we heard screaming.

“We rushed over to where we had left Frodo and the others to find wraiths attacking them. I ran towards Frodo and heard an explosion of sorts, but when I turned around I could tell Minerva had been the source of it by the way the wraiths were heading towards her. I went back to fighting off the wraiths that had gone after the hobbits when there was fire erupting all around us. 

“The fire only seemed to be directed towards the wraiths and there were heads of three kinds of beast coming from the flames. It was surrounding us and I felt as if it wanted to kill us, but something was holding it back. I turned to look at Minerva and saw that she was somehow controlling it. I rushed towards her when I saw the color drain from her face, but she was already fading when she retracted the flames,” Aragorn paused as the stood in the doorway to Minerva’s room, “It was amazing to witness, and before I knew it I was carrying her over to the others so that I could keep an eye on both her and Frodo.”

Gandalf hummed for a moment and then looked at the sleeping form that seemed to blend with the sheets. He could tell from the moment that he met her that she was powerful, and if the description was anything to go by, she might even be more powerful than him. He smiled as he thought about the idea of flames that held creatures within them that he used, but he was pretty sure she didn’t use fireworks. He gave his thanks to Aragorn and headed into the room to take a seat on the edge of her bed.

Lightly, he stroked her cheek and pressed the softest of kisses on her forehead. He wished that he had been there to help her, to see her, to catch her. He would have tried to help her stop the wraiths so that she didn’t have to use all of her energy to stop the ongoing attack. Even now, as weak as she was, Gandalf couldn’t deny that she was beautiful. 

Present Day

After she finished her water, she handed him the glass back for him to place on the table. He looked back at her after he set the cup down and smiled at her. He felt her hand intertwine with his and her hand squeeze. He saw a piece of her hair had fallen into her face and before she could do anything about it, his long fingers were brushing it out of her face and tucking it behind her ear. 

“I am fine,” he finally spoke, “I just realized that sometimes the people you trust can change with the times.”

“I’m sorry,” She said as she placed her other hand on top of their intertwined ones, “I understand exactly what you are talking about,” she finished as a thoughts of Peter Pettigrew flew through her mind.

“I heard what you did for everyone and how you ended up unconscious,” he said barely above a whisper, “Thank you for helping them. I might need you to teach me that bit of magic.” 

Minerva smiled at him as she noticed a familiar but different twinkle in his eyes. Albus had always held a twinkle in his eyes, but where his held mystery, Gandalf’s held affection. There was a comfort in his eyes that made her forget about anything that may have been ailing her and want to fall into his strong embrace. As if he read her mind, he let go of her hand to open his arms to her, which she quickly reacted to.

“Thank you for protecting them,” Gandalf whispered into her ear.

“Thank you for coming back in one piece,” Minerva laughed back as she snuggled deeper into his embrace.

They had only just met, but there seemed to be a level of trust between them that rivaled that between her and Albus. She felt his lips touch the top of her head in a comforting gesture that soothed her even further. Relaxing in his embrace, Minerva realized how tired she still was, but she was perfectly content to stay in his arms for the rest of his life.

“You should get some rest, Minerva,” he said with another kiss to her head.

“Can you just stay here for a while?” she asks without really thinking.

“Of course,” he replied without hesitation. 

Minerva lay back down on the pillows with Gandalf sitting on the bed, stroking her hand. Soon, Minerva was fast asleep and Gandalf decided to stay a little longer and just watch her.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Minerva woke for the second time that day to find that Gandalf was gone, but from the indentation in the mattress she could tell that he had just recently left. She felt better now than she had in years. After everything that had happened with Albus and Harry, she was sure that all she wanted to do was forget all of the pain and suffering that had plagued her the past few years. She had wanted to escape the thoughts that haunted her of all of the students that she had outlived. She never expected to be thrust into a world with a second chance.

That’s what Gandalf was, a second chance at love. Frodo and Sam, a second chance at protecting Harry and his friends…could it really be that simple? Everything in this world was a second chance at life. Even the hospital wing at Hogwarts looked similar to the one she was in now. She would not mess this life up.

Getting up slowly from the bed, Minerva walked towards the large window where she was met with the sight of a gorgeous kingdom. Green everywhere. Birds and other mystical creatures were soaring above the castle towards the painted orange and pink skies. The waterfall that brought the crystal blue water to a rest below was soothing to her ears. It was breath taking. 

She was startled out of her thoughts by a voice behind her, “I am glad to see that you are able to move around,” a tall elegant man with pointed ears and long brown hair said, “We were worried for a bit that you were not going to wake. You were very weak when you were brought to us.”

Minerva stood watching the man hoping that she would get some kind of clue as to who he was. If he was here, then surely it is somebody that Gandalf trusts, right? Mustering up enough conscious thought to talk, Minerva addressed the man as politely as possible. 

“I am grateful for all of the help and care that you have given me,” she replied, “I do not remember much of what happened after I fainted, but I feel much better now. Thank you.”

“You are quite welcome,” he said as he walked further into the room, “Gandalf spoke kindly of you and Aragorn spoke of the power and bravery that you displayed while in battle. You are most welcome here, Minerva, and anything you may need, please let me know.”

“I will,” Minerva answered a bit sheepishly, “Thank you, uh…I do apologize...I don’t think I caught your name.”

“My name is Lord Elrond.”

“Oh, I am very sorry. If I had known who you were I wouldn’t have-”

“Do not worry, Minerva, it is quite alright. I did not tell you my name or title for fear that you would see me as anything but a friendly face. Gandalf should be up soon and I promised him that I would watch you while he handled everyone arriving.”

“Everyone arriving?” she asked a bit taken back, “I thought we were all here already. Were there others that were left behind? Are they hurt?”

“Minerva, calm down,” Elrond approached her placing a hand atop her shoulder, “The ones arriving are those who will determine the fate of the ring that young Mister Frodo carries. Your group is here and they are safe. I promise.”

“Who is it that you are expecting?”

“Well, you will get to meet them tomorrow morning, but we do have representatives of the dwarfs, elves, and other beings coming to decide. It is nothing that can’t wait until tomorrow morning. You have been through a lot, and when Gandalf comes up, he will insist that you relax and wait till morning.”

Turning to look out the window again, Minerva nodded in acquiesce and went back to sitting on her bed.

“Am I allowed to leave this area,” she questioned, “Or am I on house arrest till tomorrow morning?” 

Elrond chuckled a bit before shaking his head, “It is not I or any of my people that keeps you here. I believe Gandalf wanted to ensure that you would be safe here, and has therefore kept you here under supervision.”

“I am not a child,” Minerva scoffed, “I can handle myself.” 

Elrond simply held up a hand to calm her before he spoke, “I do not think he wanted you to feel incapable. He is simply protective of you. He came here with many wounds of his own, yet when he heard that you were here and we were trying to bring you back, he refused to be tended to. He sat in that very chair until he was assured several times that you were gaining strength again, and only then were we allowed to treat him. It was actually quite humorous.”

“I’m glad that you found that funny, my friend,” Gandalf said as he emerged from behind Elrond. 

“Gandalf!” Minerva smiled, “I heard you were welcoming some guests.”

“Yes, and it seems that they have all arrived for tonight, my dear,” Gandalf said as he came closer to her, “Now, how are you feeling?”

Taking in the serious look and tone of his voice, Minerva couldn’t help the small giggle that escaped her. When both Gandalf and Elrond looked to her as if she had grown another head, she quickly schooled her features.

“I am fine, Gandalf,” she assured, placing a hand on his arm, “I have suffered a lot worse than that, trust me.”

“That is not as assuring as I think you hoped it to be,” Gandalf stated, taking her small hand into his much larger ones.

“Well, I am fine,” Minerva looked into his eyes, “I promise.”

They stayed there looking at each other, a smile gracing both of their faces, for a while. Elrond decided to briefly break the silence to make his escape and leave the two of them alone.

“Gandalf,” he paused to wait for the wizard’s gaze before he continued, “We have your usual quarters set up for you. Unfortunately due to the influx of guests we have tonight, we had to place Minerva in your spare room. There is food and drinks waiting for you two. I will see you both in the morning.”

With that, Lord Elrond took his leave and left Gandalf and Minerva to talk among themselves. 

“Shall we, my dear?” Gandalf offered her his arm, and she nodded. 

They walked in silence to Gandalf’s quarters, and they were just like the rest of the castle. Everything was luxurious in a way that felt simple and comfortable. The windows were open and yet it was not too cold or hot. It was perfect. When she turned back to Gandalf he was watching her with a small smile on his face.

“I can tell that this room is okay,” Gandalf smirked.

“It is perfect. Everything looks amazing.”

As they walked around the rooms, Gandalf set up a table for dinner and helped Minerva to her seat. They spent the night laughing and talking about past adventures and things they did wrong. When they were both exhausted and ready for bed, Gandalf showed Minerva to her room. 

“I hope this is okay,” Gandalf gestured towards the four poster king size bed.

“It’s better than okay,” Minerva smiled.

“You should find some extra clothes in the chest of drawers over on that wall. The washroom is right through that door, and with that, my dear, I bid you goodnight” Gandalf said, turning to leave.

“Wait, Gandalf?” Minerva caught his arm as he was heading out the door.

“Yes, my dear?” he asked.

Minerva stood up on her toes before placing a soft kiss on his cheek, “Thank you.”

“You are more than welcome, Minerva,” he said while bringing a hand to caress her cheek, “I will see you in the morning.”

And with that, Gandalf was gone, and Minerva was left to stare at the door while grinning little a schoolgirl. She couldn’t wait for tomorrow.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Minerva rolled over in the bed to see light streaming in from the soft curtains flowing in the breeze. She felt refreshed and was ready to start the day, but laying here in the bed she felt too comfortable to get up. A grin made its way onto her face as she thought about her dinner with Gandalf last night. She hadn’t laughed that much in a long time, and he had made her feel like she was floating above the clouds.

After staring out the window at the beautiful scenery, she decided to get up and get dressed. She made her way towards an armoire that sat in the corner of the room, and searched through the abundance of clothes that it housed. Picking out one that was navy blue with long sleeves and decorative embroidery in white lace, she went into the extravagant bathroom. 

After taking a quick shower and getting ready for the day, Minerva exited the bathroom and decided to explore the room that she was sharing with Gandalf. She walked out of her room and into the sitting area that housed the fireplace and the large bookshelves. She pulled a book down and opened it. Hand written on the inside cover were the words ‘Property of Gandalf the Grey’ and that made her smile. Obviously he had stayed here enough to accumulate that many books. 

“You are welcome to borrow them whenever you like,” Gandalf’s voice caught her by surprise.

She spun around and saw him standing in the door way that led to the dining area. 

“I didn’t mean to startle you, my dear,” he said as he came closer to her, “You look magnificent by the way.”

Bowing her head to hide the blush, Minerva placed the book back and stepped closer, “Thank you, and it’s okay.”

Taking her hands in his, he brought them to his lips and placed a gentle kiss to the top of them. He then led her out of the living room and into the dining area. 

“I hope you are hungry,” he chuckled as he pulled out her chair and helped her to sit, “It seems like they wanted to make sure to feed everybody twice over.”

“Everything looks delicious!” she said thinking about how it reminded her of the feasts at Hogwarts. 

Their breakfast passed in much of the same way as their dinner had. They were very comfortable with each other and their laughs filed the room. When they were done, Gandalf helped her up and led her out of the room and into the hallway. They walked arm in arm together through the halls, occasionally stopping to look out at the scenery around them. When they made it to a pass way that was completely open to the outside air, they stopped to look at the scene of the waterfall and the greenery around it. 

“It’s amazing here,” she breathed out as Gandalf smiled at her, “I never really thought I would see something this beautiful ever again.”

Gandalf watched as a brief look of sadness crossed her face. She seemed to be caught up in a memory from the past and as he studied her face, he could see that a deep sorrow was haunting her.

“What do you mean by that, Minerva?” Gandalf probed softly.

She hesitated a moment before she decided to open up to him, “From where I come from, we just finished years of war. The man that headed the other side of these wars was a young boy when I knew him. He was powerful and he was dark, but he was so young. I actually went to school with him. He was a few years younger, but I still knew about him, everybody did.

“Part of me wishes that I had tried to do something to make him feel different about those around him, but I also know that he would have still grown up to be the dark wizard that he was…I lost so many people to him and his followers, and so did others. He took the man that I loved from me. He took past, present, and future students from me, and I honestly thought that I should have died with them. Why was I more deserving of life then all of those other innocent lives?”

When she turned to him to ask this question, he saw tears streaming down her face. He pulled her into his arm and held her as she finally let all of the feelings from the past go. She gripped him close to her and just let all of the pain and the fears from the past 50 years. Here she was in the arms of a man that was so similar to Albus, but he was so different as well. Here is another man that she is falling in love with, but this time she wouldn’t let him go. 

“You can’t think like that, Minerva,” he whispered into her hair, “You have to remember them, but you also have to move on.”

“I know,” she said shakily, “And I think being here is my second chance at moving on.”

“Why don’t we go see the others and get your mind off of this,” he said, gently rubbing her back before pulling away.

He started to lead the way back through to the castle, but Minerva grabbed his hand and pulled him back to her. They looked at each other for what felt like an hour before Minerva stood up on her toes and lightly brushed her lips against his. He responded and wrapped his arms around her lithe frame, and hers went around his neck. She held him there until they slowly broke apart and rested their foreheads against each other. 

“I guess that is one way to get your mind off of things,” he chuckled.

She smiled up at him before laughing with him, “I’ve been wanting to do that for a while actually.”

“So have I,” he said gently “Particularly when you finally woke up.”

“Oh, really?” she teased.

“Yes,” he leaned down and kissed her gently again, “I thought I had lost you for a moment. When they first brought you in you were pale and completely limp. At first I thought you were dead, but they said you were just drained.”

“I did use a piece of magic that I had no business using,” she said.

“From what I heard,” he brushed his hand against her neck, “you were brilliant.”

“Well, I will be taking it easy for a while,” she hugged him again.

“Good,” he kissed the top of her head as they began walking off towards the room where everyone would be gathering soon to talk about the fate of the ring.


End file.
